Personal Injury Liability in Self Storage Facilities

Virtual Personal Injury Law — By Shopping Blogs on December 10, 2009 11:42 pm

Any business can be liable for personal injury . Self storage facilities are not exception to this fact. These are public facilities where the tenants can walk in and out any time of the day or night. At such places, there is always a potential risk of injury. Other than the tenants, small businesses which use such facilities to store their inventories may bring in clients and they might also sustain injuries.

To avoid being sued for personal injury , storing facility owners need to ensure that proper safety procedures are in place in their premises. They should ensure that the walkways are clear of obstruction. During winters, salt needs to be adequately sprinkled on the walkways to avoid any slip and fall accidents leading to personal injury law suits.

Proper maintenance procedures need to be in place. In case there are roll-up doors in the facility, they need to be working properly to avoid personal injury of any kind while being operated. There should be written records of all maintenance acts, including all the inspections carried out and the repairs made. The owners should also ensure that there are proper records of all repairs or maintenance carried out by the manufacturers of the products or machinery kept in their facilities. In case of a court case, these records will go a long way in proving that the facility is not at fault. This will also prove that the owner of the facility has taken appropriate steps to minimize personal injury .

Claims against injury can be made not only by the tenants who have leased the storing units but also by whosoever has accompanied the tenant, including the tenant, family members, friends, or employees. Potential tenants, who are visiting the facility to check it out, can also sue the facility for personal injury . This is even if they have not leased the unit. So can any other person visiting the facility, such as those making deliveries, and those working for the facility owner.

Reducing Liability
A facility owner can try to reduce liability when sued for personal injury . Insert a clause in the lease agreement restricting the tenant from claiming against such injuries. Such clauses are frowned upon by the courts in many states as being unfair or unreasonable. Another or one more clauses can also be inserted that indemnifies the facility against such personal injury claims.

A facility owner can take out liability insurance that can take care of the cost of personal injury claims as well as that of the legal defense. The cost of the insurance will depend on the size of the facility and the quality of maintenance being carried out.

Such claims are part and parcel of all businesses, including self storing facilities. There is a need or necessity to see that adequate liability insurance is taken out, all records are maintained, and that proper maintenance of the facility, its equipment, and machinery are carried out to avoid any mishap or accident leading to personal injury claims.

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